The Sun. — London, England, 1809-10-12 00:00:00

liflAil r.. 02 iLW 41V. LJ4 •.44.11. [FROM THE MONITEUII.3 PARIS, SEPT. 27. REPORT TO THE KING, COMMANDING THE FRENCH ARMIES IN SPAIN. .S 1 RE—Your,Majesty has ordered rile to- draw up a general Report .of the operations of the . army, from the 234 of July.last, to the I:slbitsiiiant:-.:I have strictly complied with your cOmmancti. Before 1 give your Majesty an iCcounLif the inarches of -the different Corps of .the iitily,land the brilliant actions which have conferred glory on. the Imperial troops, 1 think it necessary, for the eluci dation of my Report, to desCribe (he Opisition of the respetlive corps of the Imperial army, zioci, that of the hOstilit armies on the 2uth of July. I t OSI TiON' OF THE IMPERIAL 'ARMY, AND OP THE ENEMY'S A RMY, ON THE 20TH JULY, 1809. At this time the 4th corps, 'comniantle d Y . Ge n.eral sebaitiani , was pos • . tvd at Consuegra aril Ma- d r ia e jo s , watching the army. of Venegas, 30,000 strong. This army occupied Manzanarea and Day "i:l, and had its advanced poSts on the Guadiana. Th e Ist corps, commanded by Marshal the Duke 'of Belluno, was posted on the, lett bank of the Alberche, in front of Casalegas, ,covering the pass from Talavera towards Madrid. The advanced gwrd of this corps of the army occupied Talavera de la Reyna. Marshal the Dake of Belluno watched the army of Cuesta, 30,000 strong, which had crossed to the right bank 'of the Tagus, by a bridge thrown over that river at Almaraz, and by the Bridge of Arzobispo. • Your Majesty had received orders from his Im perial Royal Majesty, directing that the Duke of Dalmatia should unite, udder his command, the 2d, sth, and 6th corps, consisting of 80 battalions and 30 squadrons, amounting to upwards of 60,000 eft . eetive men ; that he should march against the 1: 4 should seek them out wherever they might be, and engage them. Meanwhile the 2d cores still occupied Salamanca and Zamola. The sth corps was in Valladolid,and its environs, and the 6th occupied Benevente, Astorga, and Leon. Thetas ter corps had in its front the troops conimapd ed.by La Romans, and the insurgents of Galliciaaad Asturias. Independently of the armies of the insurgentsirg port announced that, the English army, 30,000 trong, was assembling in the environs of Placencia, tinder the cominand- of General Wellesley. On the 23d of July, yOur Majesty recVive4 in telligence from Marshal the Duke of .13:1;:atio; that the English army, under the conitnand"tre-GeOeral had formed a junction, b4tiVeen 'the Tagus and the Tietar, with the army of Cuesta, and that this combined force was on its march towards Talavera; while a corps of eight or 'ten thousand men, corn.nanded by General Wilson, was' adVanc, in." towards Escalona, along the right bank of the 4 1 berehe. The danger was imminent ; and it was necessary to take dek ided measures. The same day (22d) your Majesty sent orders to Marshal the Duke of Dalmatia to unite speedily, at Salamanca, the three corps of the army under his Command, end to advance rapidly to Placentia, in orde r to break she line of operation of the hostile tlinY. You, at the same time, ordered General Se uasuani to proceed; by forced marches, with the 4th Corps, from Madriciejos to Toledo. Your Ma jesty lett Madrid in the n ight between the 22d and 23d, w ith your reserve, composed of the Royal Guard, and th e brig a d e of General Gadinot, formed of the 12th • regiment of infantry, the 51 , 4 regi ment of the line, and the 27th regiment of horse 011asseurs. The command of this reserve was en trusted to the General of Division, Dessoles. In proceeding to Naval-Carnero, your Majesty had a two-fold objea : to check the march of Gen. Wilson, who endeavoured to get in the rear of the ISt Corps, by Escalona : and to form a junction with Marshal the Duke of Belluno, with a view to . enable him to keep the enemy in check till the junt. * , n of the 4th corps, and till the result of the march of Marshal the Duke of Dalmatia Should be ascertained! Meanwhile, in the evening of the 23d, Marshal the Duke of Belluno informed your Majesty, that, on the 22d, the advanced guard of his corps of the army had been obliged to quit Talavera de la Reyna, and to retire along the left bank of the Alh•erche ; that he was certain he should be attackett. , Zi l the 24th, by the combined armies of the Eoglish and Cuesta ; artd that, unwilling to hazard the Ist eorpi against such a superior force, he should march in the bight between the 23d and 24th, and proceed in two days to the left bank of the Guadarama, at its Conflux with the Tagus, near Toledo, in order to effeet a junction with the 4th corps. Your Majesty will highly approve the movement of nirshal the Duke of Belluno ; Gil., if that Marshal had retreated • upon Naval-Carnero, instead of retiring to Toledo, the junction of the Ist and 4th corps would have been rendered extremely difficult, and perhaps even ` impossible. It is likewise very certain, that Marshal the Duke Belluno had formed a correct judgment of the de signs of the enemy. Orders found upon the Offi cers have proved, that the Ist corps Waq to have been attacked, on the morning of the 24th by the Eng lish army and that of Cuesta, in its position on the Alberche, while Wilson's corps was to have endea voured to cut off its retreat towards Madrid, by ad . vancing from Escalona upon Naval Corner°. , . Your Majesty, on receiving the letter of Marshal the Duke of Belluno, took the resolution of pro ceeding also toward s Toledo-, with your r e se r ve , i n Order to form a junction with the Ist and 4th 'corps, arid topresent to the enemy a body, irnP °sing' not from its numbers, bat f rom i ts valour. On the 24th, your Majesty advanced with your reserve to Cavanara, three leagues from Toleclo.-- The next day, the 25th, you fixed your head-quar ters at Bargas. The same day, General Sebastian', after ably dis guising his movements from Venegas, arrived with • the .1411 corps at T o l e d o . L astly, the Ist corps h a d ,taken a position on the left bank of the GuailtiffamaT .;• to that all the troops which it was in your Majesty's poker to oppose - to the enemy, were united; :Your. Majesty ordered a detachment to be left at Toledo, to guard that city and the bridges. On the 26th, your Mairtaty ordered the whole vance upon Torrijos. The first corps opened the . march. .General Latour Maubourg commanded the whole - of the cavalry of the Ist corps, to which your Majesty had joined the division of light cavalry, un der General Merlin. which had previously been at tached to the 4th corps. On the 25th, Cuesp's army took up a position at Santa (Jonah ; it was to continue its march on the 26th, to advance upon Toledo, with a view to at-! tempt a junction with Venegas. The English army had not yet quitted Talavera, but had pushed its ad r vanced guard to Casalegas; on the left bank of the Alberche. Wilson's corps had continued its move ment, and had pushed its advanced posts to Naval Carnero.' BATTLE OF ALCABON. On the morning of the 26th,, the aciir.aneed guard of the Ist corps met a few cavalry at Tortijos, whom it purstied. They retreated upon Alcabon, by the defile of Oliveras. • The enemy had fortned in the plain of Alcabon ; his right 'NOS liPpie'd upon the Chapel of Domingo, and his left on the road of Do . _ mingo Perrez. - He presented 2000 cavalry, sup ported by six pieces of cannon. All the cavalry commanded by General - Latour MaubOUrg formed parallel to the enemy's line, and marched up to it ; the latter- maintained itself fot sour' time in its. po sition; -but as soon as it saw the columns of infantry advance, it began to , retreat. General Latour Mau bourg cau s ed it to be elo;:ely pursued: At t beckfile of Alcabon, an engagement of cavalry took place, under the direction of Gen. Merlin, commanding he light cavalry. of the, army, in which the dragoons of Viliaviciosa were cotnpletely destroyed'. by the 2d•hus , ,ars, and a squadri,tra the bfli chas 7 turs.-- General 13eaumopt,, whn enintnanded thsctiarge, executed it with sk,ll and bravery. This Getieral was ably seconded by Col. B. hnnetnain, coninianding the sth horse chasseurN, and the chef descadron, Hubini de Souhise, commanding the 2d huSsars.— The destruction .of the dragoonS . at Villaviciosa struck great. terror intoithe reNt of the enemy's, and from that moment, they thought only of retreating. The' ground was rugged ai.d intelseCled_ by ravines, which prevented this corps, from being eniitely. de stroyed. It was cotnmanded by Z:igas, and formed the advanced guard of Cuesta's army, The next day, (the 27th), the ior perial army ad vanced upon Taia% era ; Cuesta's army had retreated along the right bank 01 the Alberche, and joined, the English army near Talak era. Meanwhile, the - advanced guard of the English army, composed of a .corps of about 10,000 men, who hA passed the 26th at Casalegas, had marched forward to cover the retreat of Cuesta's arruy; this advanced guard was met by the cavalry of the .t st corpS, and, after a few cannon shot, it retired pre cipitately along the right bank of the Alberche. • • . The Ist coin, had coticentr_ated itself on the plain above P the Alberche, at one Y. M. The .4th corps and the reserve successively arrived. .From the plain of the Alberebe w ere perceived movements of troops on the plains in the rear, 'and to the North of Ta lavera ; but the force and diTosition of the enemy's army could not be ascertained, the intervening space between the Alberche and Talavera, and the. plain above that -town, being covered with olive trees and oik woods.. It was by favour of these woods that the enemy masked his dispositions. . _ The Duke of Belluno, who had passed over the ground on v. bid) the enemy was "manoeuvring, ob served to your Majesty, that this army, instead of retreating, as some imagio s ed, was taking a posi tion, its right supported upon Talavera, and its left on the mountain which answers to the hollow of Tietar. This position is fortified by a hill, which, towards the East, presents a very steep declivity, and which, sinking toward! the West, by a much more gentle slope, joins a range of, hillocks, ex tending in the diredion of Talavera. Between the principal hillock and the mountain is a valley, about 300 fathoms in breadth. .Here commences a ravine, which runs from north to south, and which, cover ing the enemy's left and centre, terminates in tile 'valley of Talavera, at the beginning of the olive trees, oh which the enemy's right was supported.— This right had in its front various incidents of ground, of which the enemy availed himself, either by constructing works, or forming abattis, to ren der it the more difficult to come at hint. Two easy roads, passable for artillery, lead f:orn the Alberche to the enemy's position. One is the high road from Talavera; the other commences at Casa del Campo de Salinas : you follow it for half a leagtie in a fo rest of oaks, and to get to it you must lord the Al herche, below Casalegas. A few musket-shot fired on the right of the army, and the dust which was observed rising (min the forest of.oaks, in the direction of Casa de Sal mas, caused it to be presumed that the enemy had there a corps of his advanced guard. Your Majesty, in consequence, ordered Marshal the Duke of Bel luno to ford the Alberche, and attack the advanced Iguard of the hostile army. The Marshal immedi ately complied with your Majesty's commands.— ' The division of General Lapisse advanced upon Casa de Salinas. General Ruffin's division was directed to support, on the right, the.movement of that of General Lapisse. The 16th light infantry, which headed the division of the latter, soon opened a fire of musketry, which was briskly kept on for an hour. The enemy had at this point 6000 men, sup ported by four pieces of cannon ; he was neverthe-: less obliged to retreat. General Chaudron Rousseau, who directed the 16th regiment, judiciously took advantage of a spot, not so much covered with trees, and ordered that regiment to charge With 'the bayo net.. It obeyed with all the intrepidity by which it is distinguished. The enemy was soon completely routed, and thought only of running to join the main body of his troops. The division of Vilatte• also forded the Alberche, and followed the direc tion of that under the command of General Ruffin. The brigade of light cavalry, under General Beau mont, supported the division of General Lapisse.-- When the advanced guard of the enemy's army was driven from Casa Salinas, the first corps continued to advance. While Marshal the Duke of Belluno attacked the enemy's advanced guard at Casa de Salinas, General Latour Maubourg, and General Merlin'S division of light cavalry, passed the Alberche, and formed in . the plain, between• the high road of Talavera and that of Casa de Salinas. This inovement was soon followed by the 4th corps and . the reserve, who forded the Alberche in close columns, by biigades. The diviSion of dragoons, commanded by General fantry of the 4th corps, and to watch the high road of Talavera. In this order, the army advanced to I within cannon-shot of the enemy's army. • Meanwhile the divisions of L3pisse and Ruffin had cleared the oak forest. The country began to open, and the movements of the enemy might have been easily distinguished, had it not been so late.--; It was neverthelesS perceived, that a corps of 10 or 12,000 1».-..p was hastening to reach its position.— The artillery of the Ist corps, which was as for seard as the divisions, did considerable miEchief to these troops, and. threw them into the greuest con fusion. This disorder was general along the whole of the enemy's line, whiCh bad not yet bad sutEcieht • time to form. Marshal the Duke de BeHun° conceived, that if, by favour of the darkness and the confusion which prevailed in the enemy's army, the hillock could be taken, on which' that army supported 'its left, and which might be considered as the key of its position, theenelny would not be able to maintain himself in it. He, in consequenee,ordered General Ruffin to take the 'hillOck with his three regiments ; at the same time directing General Vilatte to support the attack, and General Lapisse to make a diversion on the centre of the enemy's army,- bAt without engag ing. Marshal the Duke of Belltino has informed your Majesty thai"the gth regiment of light infantry, which headed this attack i 'and which kept it up with its charaderistic,bravery, .was not supported. In the darkness which prevailed, the 24th regiment had - mistaken the way,' and the march of the g6th was-impeded: by • the passage of the ravine. The, eneirty, fury sensible of the importance of the hil lock, had there posted several battalions, which he reinforced with other troops as soon as he saw it at taeked: The. form of the hillock enabled hiM speedily to send assistance, while our troops had to pass a very difficult and steep piece of ground. The gth - regiment had nearly re4clied the surntnit ,of the hillock : some men were even killed just at the top; but being obliged to renew the engagement with fresh troops, it was compelled to retire to mid-way, where it maintained itself.' The Duke de Bellow) adds, that .this regiment acquired great glory in . this.atrair .Its Colonel, M. Metinier, particularly distinguished himselt : he received three musket balls. Ite first corps took a position at the foot of the hillock. ‘Your Majesty biljouaqued in the, centre of the re serve, within cannon shot of Talavera. It had been ascertained in the evening, that the enemy had made Talavera an unattackable post.— It had likewise been ascertained that the centre of • the enemy's army was covered by rugged ground, with olive trees and vines. This position was,, moreover, fort ified, by some abattis and field-works; while the resisttne:' 01 11:c obstacles, whiCh Mar shal the 0 LLALIDO encQuutered in the attack of the hillock, proved how difficult it would be to force 3 he enemy's left. No intelligence was yet received of the march of Marshal the Duke of Dalmatia; and it was resolved to attack the enemy. (Th be continued.) We received last.. light, a communication from a commercial house of great respeCtability, of which the following is the substance fs- An Amertom friend, who is arrived in London this afternoon (Wednesday), assures me that he en,- barked on board the Marianne; in the river Cha rente; that he.was afterwards shipwrecke i d on the coast of France, where he fortunately 'escaped,. ant' got on board a Pappenburg vessel, from whence he landed at Broadi4airs. 'On his departure from the French coast there were partial Tej.,icings; which he was asured were on account of a Friendly and Com mercial Treaty hating I.) , ?en just signed between the American and the French Ministers." The Officers of the gth Dragpons, who landed at Plymouth on Saturday from Walcheren, still remain at Watkins's hotel ; the men have gone into barracks at Stoke; near that town. _ _ His :loyal Highness the Duke Of CAMBRIDGE has lately been on a, visit at Nynehead Park, in Sotner setshire, the splendid mansion of W. A. SANDFoRD, Evil. On the, retUrn, of his Royal Highness on Thursday last, from 'enjoying the magnificent sce-; nery from tlie,adjacent hills in Devunshire,. he was gratified with a still more pleasing seene; exhibited on the spacious lawn before the house of his hos pitable and elegant host. The population, for miles , round, were colletited !together to - see the son of their 'beloved Sovereign an ox was roasted whole • for their .entertainment, and strong beer was iiis tributed among them with true British hospitality. On 'Friday ,his Royal Highness, accompanied by a party of . Ladies and Gentlemen of disdni.:tion, visited Punster Castle, the .seat of ALLIXA.24DER LOTTRELL, .Esq. where a magnificent breakfast was provioed for the Royal.-visitor. On. his Royal Higlinc.ss'S-return to,Nynehead Pack, he passed through Milverton and Wiveiscowbe, escorted by Capt. HAN6JCK'S troop of Yeomanry. At Wivelstombe his Ro)val . Highness was pleased to express his thanks to,the inhabitants for the very handsome'manner in whiCh they re ceived-him. Triumphal arches were eretted,,crown ed with. laurels and. appropriate inscriptions. Six hogsheads of strong beer were distributed amongst the populace, who were in the highest degree delighted at the honour done them by this amiable Prince. His Royal Highness visited the elegant little 'cottage and gardens of Mr. SULLY, with which he eXpressed himself - greatly pleased. At this Gelt tleinan's his Royal Highness partook of refreshments, and after remaining with him about two hours, was again escorted to Nynehead Park, where the troop was regaled in the most handsome manner by. its liberal owner. THE ARTS.—We have several times expressed our high sense of the value of a work brought ton , ward by Mr. ACKERMAN, entitled THE REPOSITORY OF ARTS, FASHIONS, AND MANUFACTURES, 'BCC. and it ikbut justice to him to declare, that he seems resolved to persevere in rendering his work pre eminent for beauty and utility. The ; last Number contains many interesting and important articles, and the embellishments are not less striking and attractive. But we are.glad to find that Mr. AC KERMAN does not overlook the subject of AGRICVL TURE, one of primary importance to all mankind, as well as to this Country, and we' particularly re commend to the Public an article on British Steep, as calculated to diffuse much useful knowledge. We have taken the following account of a Pillar] eretled at Boulogne, at the expence of the Boulogne in honour of Buonaparte, from a late French Paper in our posceisiOn. The style in which it is srri:ten :is so admirably bombastic, that, in 'order our readers -should not lose any of the bevitie 3 o f this most elegant colnpOsition, we have translated the Most striking*p.!ssAgcs as closely as possible " Wnils o t aniniated With the mcest striking pFIA m triotis, ludi - goAnt at the temerity of 'British pi.; rates, and armed to punish their auti,icity, should they milt' our tertitoty with . their presence; every Frenchugin- becomes a *arridr, and hastens to the defence of ani - portS, the peaceful genius of the arts hovers over oilr cities,‘ and notwithstanding-the int.; potent attack:; di the enemies of France and Ett , rope, luipertani and u!-etilt works are executed throughout the whole empire, as &ring the . tabu season of peace. " Whilst modern Carthage nieditates i in shud= dering, destrueliOn, conflAgtaiion, and death; whikt her maddened hand shakes enraged the trident which it tore from Neptune's grasp, but which must one day be shivered against the club of the French Het.; cotes, monuments worthy of ancient. Rome are eteded in every quarter, and all the arts united to-. zether, concur in raising trophies to the glory Of the protethng genius, who, driving darkness awly, causes light to spring up, re-animating the sciences, and consoling the tnow'nful Muses, drew the Arts from the night of the grave, and told them to rise -and walk.' The construtaion of a truly national edifice is already begun, .n the front of which will be read, these words—The Temple of Glory., Already ha, the triumphal arch, the pride of the Parisian l3ouh yards, been repaired. Already has the Place des Viaories beheld the fovundnions of tae 110111.1 Oa :till. with which it will be embellished ;. and now, from the bosom of •the city (Boulogne), which Pepla's illustrious son • made the arsenal of his navy, rise; proudly this immortal pillar; destined to recall the glory of a new Charlemagne, and the atfetling gra. ! titude of his worthy companions in arms; and also to wound incessantly the wild and jealous looks of • the British leopard. • " The plan ofthis monument, voted by the brave men composing the camp at Boulogne, to the ho nour of the.Hero:af France, was presented to this Monarch by one of our most warriors, Marshal Soult, at the headaf his Staff. " This monufrwnt, composed of grey marble, found at the distance of tour leagues from Bou logne, will" be i6l . feet in height, Two bronze lions, seven feet higlri will decorate the entrance to the Council-Chamber, constructed under the pil- Jar, in which the archives are to be deposited.— Each of the. four sides of the pedestal will contain a large .basso-relievo. The model of the first of these is already executed is wax, to be afterwards cast in bronze. It represents the moment when the plan of the Pillar was presented to our august' Monarch, to whom the monument will be cons-- crated. The seated hero receives this homage of the veneration of his warriors with' kindness. 'The smile of feeling animates that noble and imposing face that glows with all the fire of genius. At his side •stands Vi&ory, his faithful attendant ; Minerva shelters him with her aagis ; force lends him her aid, and Prudence her counsels. The fen- tures, draperies, and attitudes of these figures are executed in a manner which has seldom been equalled: On the right of the seat, the union of the. laws is represented by a female figure seen in front, on the right of which stand some speCiators,. and an Admiral since dead, La Touche Treville. In the front of the seat, and at the .bottom of the steps, the Aide-de-Camp of Marshal Soult, the brave Francesehi, dear to the arts as to the God of Armies, is seen. This young warrior holds in his hand.the plan Which unfolds itself before the Monarch. Marshal Soult points to.the pillar with his left band, whilst he holds in big right the staff of 'Marshal of the Empire. Se veral Officers on, ith'iSeback and foot are seen be hind ;hint. : These figures. form an excellent per sPetiive. The-nearest'are five feet high. On the marble frame, which ;surrounds this • hasso-relievo, . allegorical pieces recall the numerous victories of the henO, to, who:» is dedicated this 'monument of love, venera'ion, and:gratitude. • " On each of tlre'tcyo principal sidei, at the foot of the pillar, is an eagle. resting on a .vreath of oak, 'si)t feet in diameter 1 the whole in bronze. " The basis of the pillar is embellished with mi..- file ornaments. The hody'of the pillar is naked hi therto.; 'the capital will he of marble, carrying an hemisphere surmounted by three bronze eagles, on. the outspread , .wings of ; witich will be placed the statue of the Emperor. This statue; which is also of bronze, is, fifteen feet . six inches high, and was cast by Mr. Houdon. " Atnb . tig the bronze pieces already cast .by Mr. Getti, the execulion.Or which is faultless, w have remarked two lions of a single piece, sevet\ feet high; three eagles, 'each more than seven feet -in circumference, and two others wearing crowns, seven feet in height.". . Dr. BL. :E, appointed by Government as Princi pal Pnysician to investigate the.nature of the fever which has prevailed in t tie island of Walcheren, we understand, has given it as his opinion, that the sick „ e „ an d m o rta lity wlich , lK.-5 been so general, hos arisen Won) an endemic, which occurs annually at this season in that part of Zealand ; and that the only effeaual remedy is the removal of the sick to another climate. He has therefore orde'red 6000 of the sick to be embarked :immediately for England. An article in the Par)s Papers,-dattd Madrid, Sept.. 16, says—" the. King has issued an Edict, which orders all , holders of pl.,te and silver in inzots, to make a declaration thereof to the Master of the Mint, and to deliver up all such plate and silver to be con verted into money : one-fourth of the value thereof is to be paid, to them immediately on the delivery thereof, and • the remaining three-fourths in four months after the clelivery of the above plate and sil-, ver, with the adilitiOri Of one, two, .or three rials per ounce, by way of a reward for the services they have rendered.: On . Monday night . - last the cottage of Gedd?n Simpson, Esq. at' Mount. Pleasant, Upper Clapton; was robbed of-linen, wearing apparel, and other ar , tides to a great ex.)ent the etfeded thttir escape with their booty-.